Present construction machines, such as wheel loaders, typically may incorporate manual or hydraulic couplers to release and attach various work implements or tools during normal daily operation. The task of releasing the tools from the machine and attaching a different tool may be difficult and time consuming, especially in the field.
During the alignment between a hydraulic coupler and the tool prior to connection, an operator generally must visually judge where to manipulate the machine in order to facilitate the alignment. During this alignment phase, visibility may be hampered due to the structure and design of typical hydraulic couplers and linkage structures. Additionally, hydraulic couplers are usually designed to withstand loads from the tool which occur during normal operation. The direction of loads through the hydraulic coupler may diminish even distribution of loading from the work implement to the machine and may cause failure to the implement, hydraulic coupler components or supporting structure.
A design disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,955 issued to Errol F. Andrews et al. on Nov. 6, 1984 utilizes a quick release and attachment coupling for operating tools. This design includes a head with a pair of spaced side plates connected together by a base plate and is pivotally mounted on a boom of a machine. Visibility from the machine to the coupling is hampered by the positioning of the base plate and the overall design of the quick release and attachment coupling. Additionally, a majority of loading is incurred at the coupling itself, thus forcing the coupling plates to have additional thickness for strength compensation, increasing the weight of the coupling and decreasing the overall performance of the machine.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems as set forth above.